Desserts

salted caramel apple pie cheesecake

ByClaire Laurent January 15, 2026

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Let Me Tell You About This Apple Pie Cheesecake Thing

Alright, friend, buckle up. Imagine your favourite cozy sweater, but it’s dessert—and it’s got apples, salted caramel, AND cheesecake vibes all tangled up together. That’s more or less what we’ve got here. Actually, this is the dessert I made the year my radiator went nuts and we had four cousins napping on the couch during Thanksgiving. So, if you need a dessert that’s nearly as comforting as caffeine for a loooong day, this is probably it. I call it salted caramel apple pie cheesecake, but my nephew calls it “that gooey stuff you make when apples get old in the bowl.” (He’s not exactly a poet, but he’s got a point.)

Why You’ll Love This One (Or, Why My Family Won’t Let Me Off the Hook Anymore)

I usually make this one when I’m feeling sorta sentimental, like autumn’s come crashing in and I’ve got apples coming out my ears. My family basically starts asking for it the minute school supplies land in the shops. The good news? You don’t need to fuss too much. The better news? If you mess up the caramel (um, been there), it’s still delicious. Actually, sometimes my caramel is more of a puddle than a drizzle, and no one’s ever complained. This is the only cake my grandmother will eat without picking something off the top first.

What You’ll Need (And What I’ve Swapped… Oops)

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (Sometimes I just smash digestives. My friend Mags swears by Hobnobs, and honestly? Doesn’t hurt.)
1/3 cup melted butter (Salted or unsalted, no one ever noticed!)
2 tbsp sugar (white, but I tried brown sugar once—worked fine)

3 medium apples, peeled and chopped (Granny Smith are ideal, but any apple that’s not basically applesauce will do)
1 tbsp lemon juice (Don’t fuss if you’ve got none. A splash of orange juice works, or skip.)
2 tsp cinnamon (I go heavy—love spice. Or try apple pie spice for extra oomph.)

1/2 tsp nutmeg (I’ve left this out in a pinch)
24 oz (that’s three 8-oz packs) cream cheese, room temp (Full fat, obviously. I tried light cream cheese once… wouldn’t recommend.)
1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract (Mine’s from a trip to Mexico, but any grocery store one does the trick)
3 large eggs (room temp—kind of important, but honestly if they’re cold, just blend ’em longer)
Caramel sauce—store-bought or homemade (see below), plus flaky salt. If you don’t have salt flakes, a tiny sprinkle of kosher salt still does wonders

How I Throw This All Together

First, the crust: Press those graham crumbs, melted butter, and sugar into a greased 9-inch springform pan. Try to get it up the sides a bit if you can, but seriously, this isn’t Great British Bake Off—just pat it in until it mostly sticks. I tend to use the back of a measuring cup for this bit. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 8 minutes and let it cool while you blitz about the kitchen.
Now, apples: Toss your chopped apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook in a frying pan over medium heat for 7ish minutes until they’re tender but not mushy; sometimes I get lazy and just microwave ’em with the spice. Let them cool so they don’t scramble your cheesecake base.
Cheesecake filling: Beat cream cheese till smooth (a stand mixer is easiest, but elbow grease will do if you pause for snacks every so often). Add in sugar and vanilla, and mix. Add eggs one by one, mixing just until combined. (Don’t overbeat at this stage. Trust me. Or ignore me and see what happens—still edible!)

Assembly: Pour half the cheesecake mix over your crust, scatter half the apples, then repeat. Use a fork or spoon to swirl a bit if you like the marbled look—or just let gravity do its thing.
Bake: 45-50 mins at 325°F (160°C). The middle will jiggle a bit (not unlike me on a cold morning), but don’t panic. It’ll set up more as it cools. Too brown? Tent with foil. Turn off the oven and let it chill inside with the door cracked open for half an hour. I always sneak a peek at this point. Let it come to room temp, then fridge it for at least 4 hours, though overnight is even better.
Caramel time: About ½ cup of caramel sauce, warmed if you want, gets drizzled (or, if you’re me, poured enthusiastically) over the whole business. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and, if you’re feeling fancy… a few apple slices for drama.

True Life Lessons (Things I Learned the Hard Way)

Don’t use cold cream cheese, unless you like accidentally working out your whisking arm for 30 minutes.
If you skip the cooling stage, the cheesecake will rebel. Like, cracks everywhere. Still tasty… Just a bit rustic looking.
Too much caramel can actually overwhelm the apples—on second thought, what am I saying? No such thing.

I usually think this tastes even better the next day, if you can wait that long.

Wild Ideas (Or, How I’ve Messed Around With The Recipe)

I swapped pears for apples once—kind of fun, but it missed that tart apple bite.
Added chopped toasted pecans to the crust. Excellent on a cold day; a bit much if it’s warm out.

Tried making it gluten free with almond meal crust. Worked fine, but it crumbled more. Still good for spoon-eating, if that’s your jam.
I did experiment with bourbon in the caramel. Tasty, but a bit too boozy for my crew (Aunt Jo wasn’t impressed!)

If You’re Missing a Tool…

I always use a springform pan, but one year mine ‘did a runner’ hiding somewhere in the loft. Used a deep cake tin lined with tons of parchment. Only drama: a little caramel escape at the edge, but nothing a plate couldn’t catch. Basically, improvise as needed.

Keeping It Fresh (Not That it Ever Lasts That Long!)

After it cools, keep it covered in the fridge. Lasts fine for up to 4 days, but to be honest, in my house it never survives past breakfast the next day—so don’t bother hiding it behind the salad like I tried last year.

This Is How We Serve It In My Family

I usually cut thick slices—life’s too short for slivers. Sometimes we crown it with extra apples or vanilla ice cream if someone’s had a rough week (or just likes cold with their creamy).

What I’d Tell My Past Self (Kitchen Regrets & Wins)

Let the cheesecake cool slooowly or it’ll crack like a dropped phone screen. I learned that the hard way.

If you use store-bought caramel, heat it up a bit so it doesn’t sit in a sad lump. (Did that. Was unimpressive looking but still nice.)
One time I rushed slicing it while still warm. Just…don’t. Ended up with cheesecake spackle, not slices.

Real Questions I’ve Gotten (Yes, I Save Them!)

Can I skip the caramel? Hmm, I mean, you could, but then it’s just apple cheesecake, which is fine, but you’d really be missing out on the magic.

Do I have to peel the apples? Nope! The skin gets soft in baking, but sometimes it peeks through. Looks rustic. Tastes the same.
What if I don’t have a mixer? Get ready for a mini workout, but hand mixing totally works. Just keep scraping down the bowl, or you’ll get weird cream cheese lumps.
Can I freeze leftovers? You can! Though, to be perfectly honest, I’ve never had leftovers last long enough to freeze. Maybe your people have stronger willpower than mine.

Is there a way to make individual cheesecakes with this? Oh, for sure. Just line a muffin tin with cupcake liners, cut the bake time down to maybe 18 mins. So cute—they look like little autumn clouds.

I guess what I’m saying is: don’t stress, just bake, and if things look a bit wonky, who cares? It’s homemade, and that’s the whole charm. If you find an even better twist on this, send it my way. I love a good excuse to experiment—after all, who really needs an excuse for cheesecake?

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